But before the Pro Bowl kicked off, the NFL announced its All-Decade Team, and the Buccaneers, who had no players playing in the Pro Bowl, were well represented with four people voted in by Hall of Fame Selection Committee members.
Only two head coaches were part of the NFL's All-Decade Team, and one of them was Tony Dungy, who coached the Bucs from 1996-01. He led the Bucs to the playoffs in four of his six seasons with the team before landing in Indianapolis, where he went on to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl win.
Former Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp and linebacker Derrick Brooks were also part of the NFL's All-Decade Team. Brooks and Sapp were voted to 11 and seven Pro Bowls, respectively. Both players were 1995 first-round picks with the Bucs.
Sapp, who nearly broke Lee Roy Selmon's franchise sack record in Tampa Bay, played with the Bucs from 1995-03. He finished his career in Oakland. Brooks, the team's all-time leading tackler, played with the Bucs from 1995-08. Both players helped the Bucs win Super Bowl XXXVII.
The fourth Buccaneer on the NFL's All-Decade Team is cornerback Ronde Barber, who originally joined the Bucs in 1997 and still is with the team. He is the franchise's all-time leading interceptor. In 2005, Barber became the first cornerback in the history of the NFL to record over 20 interceptions and 20 sacks in a career. Like Brooks and Sapp, Barber helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl.
To view the NFL's All-Decade Team, click here.
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